Satellite passive microwave observations of the upper Colorado River snowpack

Seasonal snow cover in the mountains of the Upper Colorado River Basin is a major source of water for a large portion of the southwestern United States. The extent and amount of this snowpack not only reflects changes in weather patterns and climate but also influences the general circulation through modification of the energy exchange between land and atmosphere. ... Satellite observations and remote sensing techniques can enhance the standard snowpack observations to provide the temporal and spatial measurements required for understanding the role of snow in the surface energy balance and improving the management of water resources.

Climatological aspects of the large-scale hydrologic cycle in the United States

We describe a 2.5-degree gridpoint atmospheric hydrology/climatology of precipitable water, precipitation, atmospheric moisture convergence, and a residual evaporation or evapotranspiration for the coterminous United States. We also describe a large-scale surface hydrology/climatology of a residual soil moisture, streamflow divergence, or runoff, as well as precipitation and evaporation. Annual and seasonal means and interrelationships among various components of the hydrologic cycles are discussed.

South American streamflow and the extreme phases of the Southern Oscillation

This study investigates the extent of the affect [sic] of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation on South American streamflow. The response of South American precipitation and temperature to the extreme phases of ENSO (El Niño and La Niña events) is well documented; but the response of South American hydrology has been barely studied. Such paucity of research contrasts sharply with that available on the response of North American streamflow to ENSO events.

Neogene through Pleistocene paleoclimate of the Great Salt Lake region, northeastern Great Basin, USA

In a cooperative agreement between Amoco Production Company and the University of Arizona Geosciences Department, extensive data and resources associated with 15 deep wells drilled in the Great Salt Lake are currently on loan at the University of Arizona. Seismic data, electric and lithologic logs, cuttings and previously-prepared pollen slides will eventually permit a thorough study of both the tectonic and climatic history of the Great Salt Lake region. The preliminary study presented here concentrates on the Late Tertiary and Pleistocene climatic reconstruction of the eastern Great Basin through examination of fossil pollen.

Climatology of the seasonal precipitation maximum in the western United States

The western United States is characterized by heterogeneous patterns of seasonal precipitation regimes due to the hierarchy of climatic controls that operate at different spatial scales. A climatology of intermonthly precipitation changes, using data from more than 4,000 stations including high-elevation sites, illustrate how different climatic controls explain the spatial distribution of the seasonal precipitation maximum. These results indicate that smaller-scale climatic controls must be considered along with larger-scale ones to explain patterns of spatial climate heterogeneity over mountainous areas. The results also offer important implications for scholars interested in assessing spatial climatic variations of the western United States at different timescales.

Effects of interdecadal climate variability on the oceanic ecosystems of the northeast Pacific Ocean [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): It is increasingly apparent that a major reorganization of the Northeast Pacific biota transpired following a climatic "regime shift" in the mid-1970s. In this paper, we characterize the effects of interdecadal climate forcing on the oceanic ecosystems of the northeastern Pacific Ocean.

Paleorecords of interdecadal variability from mid-latitude varved sediments and tropical corals of the eastern Pacific [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Reconstruction of proxy variables from massive corals and varved sediments of the eastern Pacific allow us to compare variability in the ocean climate from equatorial and mid-latitude sites for a significantly longer period than is available from the instrumental record.

Interdecadal shifting of the North Pacific jet stream - El Niño events [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Researchers have shown a step-like increase in worldwide sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the mid-1970s. Wintertime (December through March) polar-front jet stream positions in the North Pacific will be presented for six moderate-to-very-strong El Niño events - three before the winter of 1975-76 (1965-66, 1968-69, 1972-73) and three after (1982-83, 1986-87, 1991-92).

Recent trends in the climate of the tropical Pacific region

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Observations of climate variables in the tropical Pacific region are examined for the period 1970-1994. We look at a variety of climate variables, including upper ocean temperatures, surface wind stress, precipitation, and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and find evidence for two distinct decadal-scale warmings in the tropical Pacific ocean-atmosphere climate system during this period.

Chronic and catastrophic influences of the environment on the population dynamics of the common fishes [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Seasonal, interannual, decadal and centennial influences on population dynamics have been described for several species. It now seems possible to interpret environmental changes that initiate population change ...

On the strength of the California Current: a record from the southern Baja California margin [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): To characterize the strength of the flow of the California Current, we searched in the southern Baja California continental margin, the southernmost site affected by its relatively cool and less saline waters.

The top ten California floods of the 20th century

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the biggest northern California floods of the 20th century. Flooding in California can occur from different causes. At least three types of floods occur: 1. Winter general floods, which cover a large area. 2. Spring and early summer snowmelt floods unique to the higher-elevation central and southern Sierra Nevada, which occur about once in 10 years on the average. 3. Local floods from strong thunderstorms, with intense rain over a relatively small area. These originate in moist tropical or subtropical air and include the flash floods of the desert and other areas of southern California when remnants of eastern Pacific hurricanes get carried into the state.

Monte Carlo simulation of streamflow of the Salt River, Arizona

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Evaluations of the impact of climate change (such as a greenhouse effect) upon water resources should represent both the expected change and the uncertainty in that expectation. Since water resources such as streamflow and reservoir levels depend on a variety of factors, each of which is subject to significant uncertainty, it is desirable to formulate methods of representing that uncertainty in the forcing factors and from this determine the uncertainty in the response variables of interest. We report here progress in the representation of the uncertainty in climate upon the uncertainty in the estimated hydrologic response.

Soundings: the Newsletter of the Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Cetacean Society. 2014

Issues January - November/December 2014. (PDF contains 100 pages)

Chemical constituents of the fruit and hypocotyl of mangrove, Ceriops tagal

The fruit and hypocotyl of Ceriops tagal were analysed for their organic and inorganic constituents. They showed almost similar characteristics in major metabolites and high molecular weight elements. Both the samples had high concentration of the carbohydrates and crude fibre and very low in fat and protein. The ash was rich in NA, K and Ca. Some essential free amino acids and sugars were also present. Calorific values were found fairly high. There is a strong possibility of using fruit and hypocotyl of C. tagal as a source for supplementing animal feed.